C: 26th Sun of OrdTime (29 Sept 2019) - PASSIVE MURDERERS (Lk 16:19-31)

In our Gospel story, presented is a rich man—tradition names him Dives (Latin for “rich”)—who was condemned to Hades (Lk 16:23). It was too late for him to realize that it was a new state of afterlife that he was into, and it would be no escape without a single relief… even a drop of water to quench his thirst momentarily is forever barred (vv. 24-26).

But what was the sin he did that penalized him this severe punishment? Did he commit murder? Did he steal a huge amount of fortune? Did he physically abuse someone? Did he enslave people and treat them inhumanely? No. He did not do any of the huge sins we would normally associate as deserving eternal damnation. In the gospel story, we can notice that his only sin is that he did not invite poor Lazarus into his dinner festive table (v. 21).

Truly, Dives did not do anything wrong against him. But neither did he do anything good to alleviate his condition. His sin, therefore, is a sin of omission.

In our usual standards, Dives was actually kind enough as he allowed Lazarus to sit down at his doorsteps (v. 21), probably, to be able to beg to passerby. However, in God’s standards, Dives failed miserably as he did not proactively seek Lazarus’ welfare, health and well-being despite the affluence he was enjoying. We are not sure what killed Lazarus, but the more probable cause would be his poor nutrition and his fatal wound as he is described to be inflicted with sores that the dogs would lick (vv. 20-21). Having that said, we can say that Dives was indirectly responsible for his death, inferring, hence, that any act of non-charity—especially when one has the means and proximity to perform it under a precarious situation of life-and-death—can incriminate one to become a passive murderer!

To situate this gospel into our contemporary times, allow me to enumerate some of the facts relative to the current international migration crisis Europe is into, specifically on the plight of desperate refugees who would brave to cross the Mediterranean Sea to escape the conditions of poverty and violence in their own lands.

- World Migration Report (2018) informs us that “in 2016 there were 40.3 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) worldwide and 22.5 million refugees.”

- UN claims that the most tragic mass death happened in October 2013 “an estimated 368 migrants died in the sinking of two boats near the Italian island of Lampedusa.”

- United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports that many others perished while crossing the Mediterranean Sea: 3,771 died (or were missing) in 2015; 5,096 in 2016; 3,139 in 2017; and 2,275 in 2018.

- Ironically, most European countries closed their doors to these asylum-seekers, not only shutting their ports but denying any search-and-rescue operations to those in the open seas despite their naval technologies; see, for instance, Italian policy on refugees and UN’s reaction to it in https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/08/1043751.

The migration crisis is only one of many examples of societal passive murderings. There are many situations when we bite our lips and shun ourselves from the social responsibility of speaking, helping, and fighting for the rights of those victimized by oppression, marginalization, and mass execution especially of the so-called societal menace. Realistically, our inaction may not incriminate us in our present earthly judicial system. But, surely, we will have no escape before the Divine Judge one day… as our fate will be based on his maxim: “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me” (Mt 25:40).

- Rex Fortes, CM